Apparatus for use in facsimile transmitting systems



1 mg, 2%; 193s. 4 FULTON 2,127,331

ABPAHATUS FOR USE IN FACSIMILE TRANSMITTING SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 9, 193a INVENTOR OTHO Y/ACTON BY a E ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1938 SYSTEMS" Application January 9;; 192,13,

Claims- This invention relates (commonly called picture transmission systems and hereinafter referred to as such) and more particularly to a mechanism that maybe usedat the transmitter or receiver of such systems.

A typical facsimile transmitting system is described in Patent No. 1,759,303, dated May 20th. 1930, or in the pending application Serial No. 33,039, filed July 25th, 1935.

More specifically, the tomechanism which may be usedat the transmitter or receiver in the systems described in'the aforesaid patent and application; orwithother systems wherein the transmitter and receiver are operated in synchronism.

For the sake of "brevity in the specification andciaims, the material (a-film, sheet of paper,- foil or the like) to be-scanned at the-transmitter, and the material on which the reproduction is made at the receiver are termed a sheet.

The element for scanning. the sheet at the transmitter (a light sensitive'tube, a styiusor the like) and theelement for recording at the receiver (a lamp. stylus pen, pencil or the like) are hereinafter termed translating means."

The circuit including the translating means at the receiver and transmitter is hereinafter termed the picture circuit: and the circuit for controlling the operation of the transmitter and receiver is hereinafter termed the operating circult," or control circuit."

It is customary to employ a transmitter having a rotary drum carrying the-sheet. Hereinafter,

for the sake of brevity, the matter to be transmitted from the sheet is termed a "picture", it being understood that this may be on a photographic negative or positive, or any other similar transparency. through which a light beamisprojected, the emergent beam being received on a light sensitive cell or the like. The picture may be on opaque paper where it is scanned by reflected light. In some systems, a metal foil on which the picture is printed with insulating ink is used, so that the picture circuit is interrupted when a translating stylus passes over the ink.

At the receiver is a drum similar to that-at the transmitter, means being employed torotate the transmitting and receiving drums in synchronism. On this drum is wrapped the sheet on which the picture is to be received. This sheet may be a photographic him, which is acted upon by a suitable source of light, or it may be a paper adapted to be marked upon by a pen or pencil, or the paper may be treated so to a conducting stylus contacting therewith, the

to. facsimile systems;

present invention relatesthat it will react electrolytically- Serial-z not scan! ("01. 178-11):

latter method-*beingempioyed-when a. metal-sheet with insulating inkis usedatthetransmitter.

One of obiectionsto anr oiathesystems of the foregoing; general. de

scription turesare necessariiyulinntedczto. the-s size-,0! the drums employed andzthe the drum, each-time. been scanned, or been reccivedon' .sheets must be put onthe transmitting-drum has when. the complete'ipicturehas theareceivinggdrumzn One of the objects of-the; present inventionis to eliminate .this:-.difilculty Sb! arranging; the

sheets at the can betaken-1mm. this enabiespictures; 0t withoutzthenecessitytot transmitter 1 and. receiver: so they a continuous: delivery rolland any'length. to-rbe. made usingq-separate sheets,:,or

stopping-.thetransmitting,- andzreceivingsmechanisms. regardlesssotttheelength: of; any: individual or series... at pictures: documents beingtransmitted..

sun another: object of the invention. is to: in-

crease the speed' atv systems may .whichapicture transmission beoperated,

form-the time lost. in

changing: sheets. with. the: existing; systems.- .is eliminated ,by this; invention: and-because the.

operation is continuous,

operated at higher speeds the apparatus. maybe than known systems;

and it a roll. otpaperor sumcientlyla'rge is put on the machine.

itzmay-becontinuously operated throughout the; day or night without attention, means and start the matically.

Another object of the being provided. if necessary, to stop transmitters and receivers autoinvention isto provide a picture transmission apparatus in which'a translating means such as a light sensitive cell at the transmitter or a recording lamp at the receiver,

either included the picture is recorded.

A further object is. bodying a motor,

in the picture relative to the sheet beingscanned a translating circuit; is'movable or on which to provide apparatus emture circuit rotatablyv drivenby said motor and means for movinga sheetrelative-to'said translating device, said means being operated by said;

motor.

Other obiectsof the inventionwill be apparent from the following specification,

the invention" P rts. al a forth and aswill be more fully hereinafter set shown bythe-accompanyingdrawing and finally pointed out in the. appended claims.

For the sake of illustration, the invention will now-be described as applied to -atwo. wire circuit isthatthe picconnecting two instruments, over which wires is transmitted the operating current for synchronizing the transmitter and receiver and the picture current for causing the picture to be reproduced at the receiver. Obviously, one wire and ground may be used, or a radio link, by

general apparatus, Figure 1, illustrating the arrangement of a translating element at a receiver. said element comprising an electrolytic stylus;

--Figure 4 is a view, partly in section, on the line 4-4, Figure 1:

Figure 5 illustrates an alternate form of construction of the carrier or ring supporting the translating elements; and

Figure 6 is 'a diagram illustrating the operation of the carrier shown in Figure 5;

The numeral l0 denotes a platen arcuate in cross section as shown in Figure 2 which, in the case of a transmitter, may be madeoi' glass or other transparent material, asindicated at |0a in Figure 2,- if the instrument is to translate or scan from photographic film by means of light. The receiver will also have a platen of glass similar to the transmitter if the recording is to be done on a photographic film and a suitable light source is substituted for the light sensitive cell 424:, Figure 2, a suitable lens being interposed between the light source and the upper surface of the film on which the picture is to be recorded.

When the apparatus is used for receiving pictures electrolytically, then the arrangement shown for the sake of illustration in Figures 1 and 3 is employed where the platen |0 is made from suitable conductive material, or of bakeli-te having an upper conducting surface.

Positioned above the platen are clamps l|, i2, having shafts supported in bushings |3, H which are in turn supported in the side plates l5, l8, which plates are'mounted on the base ii of the instrument. Springs ll, l8 tend to hold the clamps downward and the clamps are connected by a cross member 20 which enables them to be R pulled upward so that a sheet 2| may be drawn beneath them. The bottom surface of the clamps are arcuateand when the clamps are in position on the platen, the sheet is held firmly against the upper arcuate surface thereof.

The sheet is taken off a delivery roll 22, mounted on base i'l, passes over a moistener roller. (in the case of a receiver using electrolytic paper) an upper roller 24 being employed, ifvnecessary, and these two rollers are geared or otherwise connected so they operate together to moisten the sheet without leaving any excess liquid thereon.

The moistener rollers 22, 24 may be used to apply a sensitizer or developer or any other fluid to the sheet 2| in the event this sheet requires the application of such a fluid. The rolls may be arranged on the left hand side of theplaten, so

as to make application of the fluid after the translating means 42 has operated on the sheet 2|.

Assuming the sheet to have passed the rolls 23, 24, it then passes over the platen l0, against which it is held by the clamps as just described. It then passes beneath the operating rollers 25, 28 supported on the base, the upper one of which may merely act as a weight although these rollers may be connected to roll together and may be spring-pressedto. insure their firmly gripping the sheet to move the same. Roller 26 is provided with a ratchet wheel 2'! engaged by a stop pawl 28, the arrangement being such that when the wheel 21 is revolved, as hereinafter described, the rollers 25, 26, will grip the sheet and pull it across the platen a definite distance determined by the pitch of the teeth on 21, the stop pawl 28 holding the sheet locked when the wheel 21 is not in motion. This arrangement, together with cams 45, lever 48 and pawl 48 hereinafter described, constitute a step-by-step feeding arrangement for the sheet 2|.

By reason of the action of the delivery roll 22 and the drag on the sheet caused by the moistener rolls 23, 24 and because of the presence of the clamps i2, the sheet is held smoothly against the upper arcuate surface of the platen i0 but moves smoothly across the platen in the direction of the arrow 49 when the feeding mechanism is operated.

A rotatable member, such as the carriage or ring 29, is supported in roller bearings 30, 3|, 32 journalled in the side plates l5, l6. This ring maybe made of any suitable material, such as bakelite, and has teeth, as shown at 33, forming an internal gear thereon, which gear is engaged by a toothed pinion 24 connected to the driven member of a clutch 35, which maybe of any suitable type such as that shown in the aforesaid patent or application. The driving member of the clutch is connected to a suitable motor 38.

Insulatedly supported in the ring 29 is the conducting ring 31 which makes continuous contact with a conducting brush 38, to which is connected one side 39 of the picture circuit, the other side of said circuit being connected to the platen l0 via the conductor 40, in the case of an electrolytic receiver.

In the case of an electrolytic transmitter, the arrangement would be the same as for the electrolytic receiver.

In case a photographic type receiver is used. the picture circuit would connect to the recording lamp therein in the usual manner. In the case of a photographic transmitter employing a light sensitive cell, the picture circuit would connect to the light sensitive cell 42a in the usual manner.

Extending inwardly from the ring 31 are springs 4| carrying at their inner ends translating elements 42 such as a light sensitive cell, a

pen, pencil, lamp, electrolytic stylus or the like. The spring support 4| would obviously be omitted if a cell or lamp is employed, the only function of the spring 4| being to cause the translating element, when necessary. to bear lightly upon the surface of the sheet being scanned or upon the receiving sheet.

If the instrument is to be used as a photographic transmitter, then the element 42 could be a light sensitive cell as shown at 4211 in Figstrike the cell 42a and thereby transmit current over the picture circuit in the usual way. If desired, a suitable lens system can be interposed between the sheet 2|a and cell 42a.

In connection with an electrolytic transmitting and receiving system, the transmitting arrangement would be different from that described in connection with Figure 2, for in the electrolytic system, the sheet at the transmitter would com prise a sheet of conducting foil or the like having the picture to be transmitted written thereon in insulating ink so as to interrupt the current in the picture 'circuit in the usual manner.

The number of translating elements 42 that are mounted upon the ring 29 will depend upon a number of factors; one or more such elements may be used at the transmitter or receiver depending upon the speed of the apparatus, the number of lines per inch of linear travel of the sheets, and the line across the sheet which is the line scanned at the transmitter or on which the recording is done at the receiver.

Assuming that the ring 29 is being revolved in the direction of the arrow 53, Figure 1, and the sheet 2| stretched over the platen i is free of any or the elements 42, the cam members 45 engage a lever 45 pivoted at 41 which causes the pawl 48 to engage one of the teeth in the ratchet wheel 21, thereby moving the feed rollers25, 25 which pull the sheet in the direction oi the arrow 48 a suitable distance, say one hundredth of an inch 11 it is desired to make a picture having 100 lines to the inch.

By the time this motion of the sheet is completed and the sheet is at rest (the motion of ring 29 having continued) one of the elements 42 passes over the sheet and-depending on the character of this element-makes a line or the picture thereon-it the instrument is being used as a receiver, or scans this line if the instrument is a transmitter.

Assuming the apparatus is being used as a receiver, and is supplied with a chemically treated sheet and that the element 42 is a stylus, it will be seen that the picture current entering the instrument at 39 passes to the brush 38, to the conducting ring 31, to the spring 4|, to the stylus 42, passes through the moistened chemically treated sheet 2|, causing the same to change color, flows into the platen l0 and from there, via conductor 40 to the picture circuit, and that this process is repeated as the ring member 29 revolves, each successive stylus 42 engaging the paper and translating the incoming current into a visible picture on the sheet, the latter being moved one hundredth of an inch between each engagement of the translating means.

Synchronism between the revolving rings 28 at a transmitter and any number of receivers, can be obtained in any suitable manner, such, for example, as by the employment of synchronized motors for the motor indicated at 35, Figure 1, or by the employment of the magnetic clutches or the means disclosed in the patent and pending application hereinbefore mentioned. If the arrangement shown in the patent is used, the looking magnet 50 and its associated armature and lugs 52 to be presently described, may be omitted. The means described in said application, briefly, comprises an ordinary friction clutch for the clutch 35 shown in Figure l, interposed between the motor 38 and the other moving parts.

This rotates the gear 34 continuously and the ring 29 driven thereby, but the ring is stopped at appropriate places by means of the locking magnet 50 connected in the control circuit of the system. said magnet operating "an armature 5| which engages suitable lugs 52, properly spaced on the ring 29. While the ring 29 is so locked, the clutch 35 slips. This insures that no ring can get out of time withany other ring in the system by more than the error that might occur during the passage of a single translating element 42 across the "sheet 2| and" such errors are constantly corrected and dovnot become accumulative, as is the case if the rings are continuously rotated by non-synchronous or spring-motors.

The locking magnets 50 of all receivers, operating from a single transmitter, are, of pourse, under control of suitable apparatus at-the transmitter (such as the contacts 54 to be presently described) and are connected in a control circuit which, in'some systems, is the same circuit as that carrying the picturecurrent, or which may be a separate circuit.

A pair of contacts 54 maybe insulatedly supported on the side plate |5adjacent the ring 29 so as to afiect the control circuit on the distant instrument, and are opened and closed at predetermined points in each revolution-of the drum by means of the cams'45 on'thering 29, in order to effect control, Cams 45 maybe used'to operate the contacts 54'. I

Figure 5 illustrateshnaltrr'iat memo: construction of the carrier ring whereby a group of translating elements are mounted thereon abreast so that at each passage of. each group 'over the sheet, a plurality of lines are" simultaneously scanned or recorded. Here the ring 29a may carry one or more groups of translating elements 4 abreast-for example four electrolytic pens or styli, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d. These simultaneously sweep over the sheet 2|, and are each connected via the separately. insulated rings 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, with separate picture circuits via contact brushes 38a, 38b, 38c, 3811. A single picture circuit can be employed with suitable synchronous switch mechanism at the transmitter and receiver, several of which are known in the art; or suitable filters can be employed in circuit with each stylus (or scanning means if the apparatus is used at a transmitter).

It will be understood that when the arrangement shown in Figure 5' is used at a transmitter, that the same number and arrangement of translating devices are used at the associated receiver, which may have the recording pens or styli 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d.

This arrangement permits of scanning as many lines simultaneously, as there are scanning means mounted abreast at the transmitter, and recording these lines simultaneously at the receiver.

This will be further understood by reference to Figure 6 which illustrates either scanning or recording with a group of translating elements or styli, as shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 6 the long lines 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d may represent the path of the first sweep (indicated by arrow 55) of the group of styli over a sheet. The sheet then moves in the direction oi the arrow 55 and all the styli simultaneously take the tracks as shown by short lines of the 51 series-42a to the ad.iacent line Fla-42b to 5lb-42c to" 510-4211 to 51d. The sheet then moves another line and the styli now move from the 51 series of tracks to, the adjacent 54 series and then to the 59 serie' At this point, if the sheet merely moved one line, stylus 42a. would retrack over line 42b which cannot be permitted.- So. when this position is ranged that when stylus 42a leaves track "a the paper is moved and stylus 420 will on the next sweep track at line 80, 42bat H, 420 at 62 and 42d at 83, and the operation just described is repeated.- Thus by feeding the sheet feed which changes are readily perceived by one skilled in the art., v

The picture circuit and the control circuits which may be used with the apparatus herein disclosed, vary so widely in their nature and operation that it is not deemed necessary to show an illustrative circuit here, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art how this apparatus may. be employed either at the transmitter or "receiver with any of these circuits and systems.

Although thein'vention has been disclosed in connection with the-specific details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in theaccompanying claims.

What is claimed is: 4

1. In facsimile seaming apparatus, an arcuate platen, a. sheet thereon, spring pressed clamps for holding said sheet upon the convex surface reached, the sheet feed mechanism is so arof said platen at a plurality of points thereon, means common to all said clamps to raise same torelease said sheet, a member movable over the sheet. and translating means carried by said member and adapted to contact said sheet.

2. In fascimile scanning apparatus, an arcuate platen, a sheet thereon, spring pressed means for holding said sheet upon the convex surface of said platen at a plurality of points thereon, means common to all said clamps to raise same to release said sheet, means for moving said sheet across said platen step-by-step, a member movableover the sheet, and translating means carried by said member and adapted to cooperate with said sheet when same. is stationary on saidplaten.

3. Infacsimile scanning apparatus, a convex,

stationary platen, a sheet supported on the convex face of said platen, means comprising resiliently mounted arcuate clamps engaging said sheet and extending transversely across the same adjacent to the ends of said platen, and means common to said clamps for disengaging them from said paper.

4. In facsimile scanning apparatus, a convex stationary platen, a sheet supported on the convex face of said platen, a pair of arcuate clamping members extending transversely across said sheet for holding the latter in intimate contact with said platen, a translating device and'means for moving the same in a path between said clamping members, and means common to said clamping members for raising them to a position spaced apart from said platen.

OTHO FULTON.

, DISCLAIMER 2,127,331.0tho Fulton, New York, N. Y. APPARATUS FOR Usn IN Faosrmnn TRANSMITTING SYSTEMS.

Patent dated August 16, 1938. Disclaimer filed March 30, .1939, by Mae Fenster, administratrix of the estate of Otho Fulton, deceased.

1 Hereby'enters this disclaimer to claims 1 and 2, except where the convex surface of the sheet is held for scanning and except where the translating means carried by the movable member contacts the sheet on its convexly held surface and in which the plurality of clamps are pressed by spring means against the sheet; and hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 3 and 4, except where the convex surface of the sheet is held for scanning and in which the plurality of clamps are pressed by spring means against the sheet.

' [Qflicial Gazette April 18, 1989.] 

